


When You Treat Me Like That

by Pixeled



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Feelings, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24814420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixeled/pseuds/Pixeled
Summary: Tseng had made him Vice Director. It was his decision, and yet he had been distant recently. Rude had tried to comfort him. He tried to keep him entertained with darts, pool, and scary movies, making popcorn and ordering Reno’s favorite foods. But it was no good. He felt hollow. Tseng was so hot and cold it drove him insane
Relationships: Reno/Tseng (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	When You Treat Me Like That

**Author's Note:**

> To Bea Miller’s “like that”

There was a party when Reno made Vice Director of the Turks. Everyone was there, but _him_. Reno made conversation, but his eyes roved toward the door, around the crowded conference room, halfway trying to will him through the door.

It was only when Reno was into his fourth whiskey sour and more than a little tipsy that he came in. He only knew by the commotion.

Tseng had made him Vice Director. It was his decision, and yet he had been distant recently. Rude had tried to comfort him. He tried to keep him entertained with darts, pool, and scary movies, making popcorn and ordering Reno’s favorite foods. But it was no good. He felt hollow. Tseng was so hot and cold it drove him insane.

Reno was incredibly good at his job even though on the outside he projected lazy indifference. That was just his way; it always had been. Tseng hated that he didn’t conform to code, but it was a losing battle, and his commitment made up for it, honestly. That was the first of many ways to push boundaries. Reno slowly wormed his way into Tseng’s bed, challenged even that. Little by little he toed the line. He knew he couldn’t just jump in, pull Tseng with him. There was something there beside walls to climb. Reno couldn’t pretend to even know what it was, and he knew Tseng would never tell him.

Reno remembered distinctly the exact moment he fell in love with Tseng. When he told Rude—his best friend, his confidant, his partner—simply shook his head and told him he would only get hurt, to never tell him.

Reno wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to Tseng despite being ruthless and bulletproof, his heart made of stone—or so he thought. More and more he felt cracks in his heart, light shining through.

Reno didn’t go to Tseng, got another drink. It was a terrible idea, but he didn’t care.

Rude walked over to him after he picked up the drink from the makeshift bar.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” he asked.

“Fuck good ideas. You ever known me to make a good idea, partner?”

Rude could hear the alcohol in his voice and took the drink away from him, sipping at it. “Thanks for the drink, Vice Boss Man.”

Reno couldn’t stay mad at Rude, so he just gave him a hard look that had no real fire and walked away to stand against a wall, legs crossed, arms crossed against his chest. His body language said “piss off”, and yet Elena found him and pried a hand out of his impenetrable hold. He groaned, rolled his eyes, and the lights went out.

All the Turks started to sing “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow” and there was a cake with candles to blow out. He blew them out and the lights went back on. He looked back. It was Tseng who was controlling the lights. He was honestly surprised.

When he turned his head back around a piece of cake was shoved against his chest. He thanked whoever it was—he didn’t even look, turning back to look at Tseng, and walked away to approach him.

He knew it was a bad idea. His heart was thundering in his chest. When he got close enough he offered the piece of cake and Tseng shook his head.

“Not in my diet,” Tseng commented. Reno didn’t know what to say about that. Tseng was already so fit from his multiple martial art practices that one piece of cake wouldn’t make a difference, but he chose not to comment on that. He instead cut into the cake and ate a piece. It was strawberry. He hated strawberry. He turned around and discreetly spit the piece out, then dumped it. When he looked back at Tseng there was a small smile on his lips. Reno loved that smile more than he could express.

“You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself,” Tseng observed.

“I dunno,” Reno shrugged.

“Want to get away?” Tseng suggested.

“Really?” Reno asked, raising a brow. “You feeling okay, Boss?”

“Since you didn’t like the party, I might as well show you a good time.”

Reno studied Tseng’s face.

“Hotel room?” He asked tentatively.

“My apartment.”

“Your apartment?”

“You heard.”

“I thought…you didn’t care about me. That bribing me to your apartment…”

“Don’t look too deeply into it, Reno,” Tseng said, then turned around and slipped out the door. Reno slipped out after him. He felt more than a little guilty for leaving his own party, but the truth was all he cared about in this moment was Tseng. He knew it made him seem desperate, but he didn’t care.

He didn’t even notice when they made it to Tseng’s apartment. It was above the plate, whereas Reno and Rude’s apartment was below. He didn’t even remember being in the elevator.

Tseng used his keycard to open his door.

Tseng’s apartment was clean and had the look of affluence—the kind of rich where everything was clean-lined and simple, but stylish. But it didn’t look lived in. It was cold and impersonal, just like the man occupying it himself.

“Would you like a drink?” Tseng asked.

“What do you have?” Reno asked.

“A little of everything. Vodka, Whiskey, Scotch, Bourbon, Gin…”

“I bet you only have the good stuff,” Reno grumbled. “Whiskey I guess.”

“Ice?” Tseng asked.

“Sure,” Reno shrugged. Tseng opened his liquor cabinet, poured two glasses of whiskey, and walked into the kitchen which was open across from the living room, pressing the ice cube option on his fridge and put about four cubes in. His own he left untouched. He walked back over and sat beside Reno, handing him the glass.

“Thanks, boss,” Reno said, taking a sip.

“You don’t have to call me that anymore.”

Reno raised a brow. Tseng had never told him not to call him boss before.

“We’re equals, as far as I’m concerned,” Tseng shrugged.

“But I’m still your subordinate,” Reno said.

“Then call me boss in public.” He sipped at his whiskey, staring ahead.

Reno frowned.

“Why can’t you look at me, Tseng?”

“I’m drinking my drink,” Tseng said, lifting his glass to his lips. He was sitting so rigidly on the couch one might think he was part of the military, but that was just Tseng—regimented, buttoned up, bottled up, a human machine. But Reno had seen glimpses of his humanity. Honestly, he thought Tseng might be scared that Reno had seen.

Reno reached his hand out to take Tseng’s free hand, threading their fingers and he squeezed. Tseng allowed it for only a moment, then he pulled his hand away as if he’d been burned.

“You make this so difficult,” Reno sighed.

“Good,” Tseng said. “I don’t want to let anyone in. Not even you.”

“You’re just a fucking coward,” Reno said, venom in his voice.

“So what if I am?” Tseng asked. He took another sip. Reno’s drink remained untouched. He got up, tossed out the whiskey, set the glass in the sink and walked in front of Tseng. He refused to look at Reno.

“You know, you think you’re pushing me away. When you treat me like that it only makes me stronger. So what if I’m not everything that you wanted me to be? So what if I’m more than you can see? You think that when you look at me I see that you don’t care that I’m not worth your time, but I see past that. You want to watch me bleed. You want to watch me fall. I should have walked away, but I will follow you into the dark. You know that. That’s why you chose me.”

Tseng looked up at him, his dark eyes steady. He put his drink to the side and he stood to kiss Reno hard. Reno kissed back just as hard.

“Thought you didn’t care?” Reno asked.

“I don’t.”

“Bullshit,” Reno laughed.

“Perhaps. A bit.”

“There we go.”


End file.
